Last night, I watched two men discussing the economic conditions of this nation of ours. They talked about the middle class shrinking and the possible solutions that would turn it around.
Laughing to myself when one of them said it is not something the government can take a hand in repairing, I had to agree to a point on that one. However, they kept on about spending and making money and how the upper class is getting richer, how corporations have all this excess money that they should hire more people to help people spend more money. After all, they said that the rich can only buy so many things.
After turning it off and getting back to my writing, I felt sad. It is a sad thing. America seems to have forgotten the American dream. Even Superman knew and he was just a comic book character. Have we come so far that we no longer know what being an American means? Have we put a price tag on our inheritance, our freedom?
So many today live in oppression. The sad part is that we live in self-imposed oppression. Think about all the times we now put our flag at half-mast. We have become a grieving nation wanting others to heal the wounds while we seek to make more money.
Money is NOT the American Dream. Being rich, accumulating great wealth and toys, life of leisure, living in fancy homes the size of small hotels, driving ridiculously expensive cars, and wearing $500 designer jeans with holes already in them is NOT the American Dream.
Have we forgotten? Or, have we never understood our forefathers who came to this country seeking freedom? What were they really seeking? Was it riches? Or was it to remove oppression from their lives? Do we really understand what our Heritage as an American really means?
Freedom is an abused word. It is much like love, hate, peace, faith, and many more over-used words until their meaning has no meaning at all.
Just what freedoms were our forefathers seeking?
What freedom lies within the American Dream?
As Americans, we are not assured wealth even by hard work. We are not guaranteed an easy life. An easy life is NOT the American Dream.
The American Dream…..is….
Freedom from oppressive government.
Freedom to choose how we want to live and work.
Freedom to marry whom we choose.
Freedom to move about the country as we please.
Freedom to speak our minds without fear of imprisonment for doing so.
Freedom to vote.
Freedom to bear arms, to defend our property.
Freedom to educate ourselves in a manner we choose.
Freedom to worship God.
There are many more Freedoms found in the American Dream, but think about how many of our freedoms are now being sold under the guise of wealth. If we are wealthy, have we truly lived the American Dream? How many of our freedoms are crushed by drugs, greed, unruly children (now labeled as ADHD and doped up rather than taught), angry people in all walks of life, gender, and status, rudeness…and the list can on and on.
We oppress one another with our greed, lusts, and even with our entertainment. Our children are growing up confused, angry, without hope, and feeling that their main goal is to become rich and live the life of fun and leisure. That is NOT the American Dream.
Working hard to have a home, family, and safety within our communities is the American Dream. There is no price tag on these things. They are Freedom. No government can provide them. No organization can build them. Only we can work towards these goals.
Peaceful family gatherings in the back yards of America is the American Dream.
Hope everyone has a safe and great Labor Day weekend.